


i'm loving angels instead

by weddingbells



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Almost death, Alternate Universe, Angst, Falling In Love, Feelings, M/M, Smut, angel!louis, dumb boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 11:40:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4918162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weddingbells/pseuds/weddingbells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick blinks again, wondering just how drained of caffeine he is and how badly he needs it or if he is just still sleeping and dreaming because unless his eyes are seriously messing with him, the man in front of him, still panting, curled up, and very naked, also has a pair of white, feathery wings attached to his back, just below his shoulder blades.</p><p>When Nick is about to get into work, he is late and it’s not his fault. When an angel shows up in front of you, you are allowed to be late. And angels, well angels can bring trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm loving angels instead

**Author's Note:**

> i got this idea and had originally planned it like a short thing, but it’s finished now at 14k. i hope you will like it, i liked writing it! i want to say thank you to my darling emmy for editing, encouraging and making a manip, and to pixie, sie and bea for reading and making me feel happy about the story :) enjoy!

Nick Grimshaw is in that state of mind where he is in great need of ten hundred million cups of coffee or maybe just caffeine injected straight into his veins when he first notices something isn’t quite right with his usual walk from the car to the station. The BBC building is looking like it usually does, the grey pavement is empty as it’s only him and a few other early workers going in for the breakfast show, but there is still something not _quite_ right. Nick blinks. There’s a sudden flash of light, the kind of light he thinks isn’t normal to see anywhere but in movies and before he can shield his eyes he is blinded.

He isn’t sure how long it takes him to look again, blinking as his head is _killing_ him, not only from sudden strong light but also from the fact that he hasn’t had any coffee yet. He looks around, wondering where the light came from when he is suddenly noticing something that really wasn’t there before.

There is a naked man in front of him, curled up on the ground in fetal position as he is panting, deep breaths so loud that Nick can hear them from where he is standing.

Nick’s jaw drops. Not only is it a bit too early for naked men, but he is also pretty sure this is not something that normally happens outside the BBC building. They have crazy things happening, sure, but at 6 in the morning there’s usually only Nick and the rest of the crew there, and not at all many naked men.

But it isn’t all.

Nick blinks again, wondering just how drained of caffeine he is and how badly he needs it or if he is just still sleeping and dreaming because unless his eyes are _seriously_ messing with him, the man in front of him, still panting, curled up, and very naked, also has a pair of white, feathery wings attached to his back, just below his shoulder blades.

Nick needs to take a step to the side, enough to have him close to the wall so he can lean against it while trying to not lose control of his legs. He has got to be dreaming right now. This has got to be a dream and Nick is having some kind of weird early morning sex dream about angel men.

Then the man coughs, sitting up, and Nick pinches himself and is pretty sure he isn’t dreaming. It’s all very real.

Nick wonders if he should look away, especially look away when he man is standing up, stretching his arms over his head as someone getting out of bed after a particularly good sleep, but Nick just can’t look away, he can’t. He is not looking at the man’s cock though, _nope_ , he’s got that much manners and anyway he is kind of lost in the piercing blue eyes that comes with the man’s face.

Blue eyes, cheekbones, feathery hair and features that Nick is pretty sure would make anyone dizzy, not just a 31 year old man who has been single and lonely for _way_ too long and that is on his way into work.

The man looks back at him, as if he is watching Nick with just as much curiosity as Nick is watching him, as if Nick is the one from another world here and not him. Where is he from anyway, Nick wants to ask but he also isn’t sure if he can even form words right now. The man does for him.

“What are you staring at? You haven’t seen an angel before?” He says with a snappy voice that feels too big for that tiny body and yet Nick wonders if it’s what he has always been waiting for to hear. He takes a step back.

“Uh,” He manages to say, before the angel apparently decides to start talking again. He tilts his head, watching Nick.

“What’s that? It looks weird.” He says, pointing to Nick’s scarf and wow okay, isn’t that kind of rude of someone who isn’t even wearing anything in broad (well almost broad) daylight. Nick clears his head.

“It’s a scarf. You wear them. You know, like you should wear something. You’re naked.” Nick states as a child of 2 years old talking about things they are experiencing for the first time. He doesn’t like that tone of his voice, but it’s too late to take back. The angel stares at him.

“Why would I wear something like that? Looks annoying,” he says, and wow, okay, this is something that is _way_ too early in the morning for Nick to have to handle and also something that no one should have to handle without a cup of coffee. Or five. Nick sighs.

“You… okay, come with me.”

Nick isn’t sure what prompts him to grab the man/angel’s arm and pull him with him, but he thinks part of it is because it’s October and it’s chilly, and he also doesn’t want someone with not as good intentions that Nick has to find this naked man and have his pictures all over the tabloids. It’s not something that Nick would want to happen to him.

The man follows him willingly, and Nick is sure he is going to be so late as he leads the man back to his car.

“You need to have clothes. This is London. It’s cold.”

The man shrugs. When he does, his wings fold around his tiny frame as a blanket.

“I’m not cold,” he says, glaring at Nick, but there’s a hint of blue on his lips that Nick doesn’t think is supposed to be there and therefore Nick is pretty sure the man is cold. Nick would be. It’s almost freezing.

Nick ignores the man saying he isn’t cold because of that and instead unlocks his car, going to the trunk to find his bag where he always keeps an extra change of clothes in case he decides to spend the night at someone else’s house, or if he spills juice all over himself during broadcasts which to be honest, as happened more than once.

He takes out a big jumper that he is sure will fit not only the man but also those wings and then a pair of sweatpants he is supposed to be doing yoga in but has mostly been used for lazy afternoons in front of Emmerdale recordings.

“Get dressed,” he says, and he wonders when his mind will catch up with him and start freaking out over the fact that there is apparently an angel in front of him. He is sure when it does he will have to bite his tongue to not ask so many questions, but right now he is only focused on getting the other dressed. The man stares at the articles of clothing in his hands, as if he is unsure what to do with them. Nick wonders if he has ever seen clothes before. He swallows.

“Here. Uh,” he takes the jumper, helping to get it over the man’s head which he willingly allows him to do until Nick touches the wings by accident and the man hisses, pulling away.

“Don’t touch,” he snarls, and Nick quickly backs away.

“I wasn’t.”

“Good.”

The man manages to get the jumper on, it’s big enough to look like a dress on him, and it slips down on his shoulder and shows off one of the collarbones that Nick hasn’t really noticed before.

“And now just… these go… on your legs,” Nick says stupidly as he give him the sweatpants but seriously, Nick hasn’t really had to explain the concept of getting dressed for what seems to be a grown man before so he is feeling a bit out of place.

It feels like it takes forever for the angel to get dressed and when he does, he has tucked his wings in, in a way that Nick isn’t even sure how it works because you can barely see them under the jumper and he is needing to grab hold of the sweatpants and hoist them up now and then since they keep slipping down over his hips.

He refuses to wear socks though, almost looks ready to attack Nick as he shows them and since Nick feels like it’s a success that he even got him into the clothes to begin with, he chooses to not argue that. Might be a bit weird for someone to be barefoot but hopefully as long as the man isn’t showing everyone his private parts, no one will focus on his lack of socks.

As Nick watches the man look at his reflection in the car window, he suddenly realise that he has no idea what is even going on and it’s 6.30 and he is late for work.

“Are you…” he starts, wanting to ask if the man really is an angel, wanting to ask all he probably should have asked before he even started dressing him, but it’s too late now and he needs to get inside. “Do you have anywhere to be?” He decides to ask instead and a shadow falls over the man’s face.

“I don’t even know where I am,” he says, looking around as if he hopes that it will give him any kind of answers and Nick is filled with some kind of sadness he doesn’t even know where it came from.

“Well… I… I do so… well, come with me,” Nick grabs his arm again, and this time the man huffs as if he isn’t quite enjoying being manhandled by Nick but still, he follows Nick to the door where Nick shows his key card and is let inside.

“You are late, Grimshaw,” the receptionist greets him, finger tapping the watch on her wrist and Nick groans.

“I know, I know, but I’m here, right?”

“Who is your guest? He needs to have the proper credentials,” she says, chewing her gum and Nick just sighs because god.

“Uh… this is…” he panics, realising he didn’t even ask for the name. How will he explain bringing strange boys to the studio? This is something the media will eat up if they find out.

“Louis.” the angel says, and the way he says his name is very soft, unlike the way he spoke to Nick outside, it almost sounds a song. Nick feels a bit weak.

“Yeah. Louis.” Nick says, and his hand grips Louis’ wrist again to lead him to the lift. “And we are late.”

Thankfully she doesn’t call them back. Nick thanks his lucky star.

 

\--

 

Louis freaks out in the lift, almost clawing red marks all over Nick’s arms like a scared cat. When the doors finally open they stumble out on the floor where Nick works and Louis jumps up on a chair close by, sitting on the back of it like a scared bird. Nick massages his burning cuts.

“It was just a lift,” he mutters and shakes his head. “It’s fine. You are fine.”

Louis lets out a high pitched whine at that and Nick walks over to him, carefully.

“Come on, I swear it’s fine. We’ll take the stairs down okay? But now I really have to get into the studio.”

Louis still looks startled and Nick reaches out his hand.

“Louis,” he says softly and finally Louis follows, he doesn’t take Nick’s hand but he gets down on the floor, walking with Nick into the studio.

Fiona glares at Nick as he enters, but her face goes from annoyed to curious as she notices Louis.

“And who is this?” she asks, eyes trailing over Louis as if she tries to figure out who it is before Nick can answer her. God, Nick wishes he could explain this.

“This is… this is Louis.” Nick says, hoping it will be enough and that Fiona won’t ask for details. “We… are friends.”

Louis looks to Nick and rolls his eyes, and this seems to amuse Fiona who starts laughing, before she notices Louis being barefoot.

“No shoes? Isn’t it a bit too cold for that?” she hums, arching an eyebrow. Louis looks down and shrugs.

“It’s a normal thing where Louis comes from to not wear shoes or socks.” Nick tries to lie desperately and Fiona really doesn’t buy it.

“Really? And that place is…”

“The valley of the floating meadows,” Louis says and Nick is _dead,_ he’s got an angel in his studio that he isn’t sure how to explain and he is already being filled up with lies.

“Uh… uh… that’s just…” he says as Fiona raises both eyebrows. “A fancy way of… of saying Doncaster. Louis is from Doncaster.”

Louis looks at Nick, extremely confused now and Fiona stares at him too.

“Riiiight…” she says, and maybe she wants to ask something else but she can’t because the song ends and they are on air again. Nick quickly sits down, getting into his gear as Louis curiously watches all the blinking buttons.

“Don’t touch _anything_ ,” Nick hisses, before Vic counts down to 0 and they are on again. “Hiiiii good mornin’ everybody, this is Grimmy, bringing you the amazing morning tunes you all need.”

There are tweets coming in on where he was the first 20 minutes of the show, Nick ignores all of them.

“Well Grimmy, you were late this morning,” Fifi says, the absolute traitor who probably should get fired. Nick glares, but she just keeps smirking. “Did you also maybe bring a guest to the studio, who is this guest?”

“I’m Louis,” Louis says, clearly not understanding that this is awkward and that he should keep quiet and it’s loud enough that even if there is no mic around, Nick knows some of the listeners must have heard him. This will create rumours Nick doesn’t need.

“Moving on,” Nick says desperately, hoping that if he starts talking about something else everyone will forget about the fact that there is someone in the studio saying he is called Louis and that no one has heard about before. “Did you hear about the new Bond movie, Fifi? Pretty exciting, ay?”

Fiona can tell he is trying to change the subject. _Desperately_ trying to change the subject. But for once she lets him, and Nick makes it through the rest of the show without more trouble than Louis accidentally cutting off the new song by James Bay by pressing _just_ the button Nick told him not to touch.

 

\--

 

“Is your name Nick or Grimmy?” Louis asks as they leave the studio. Nick has figured out that Louis doesn’t really have anywhere to be and considering Fiona giving them weird looks, Nick needs to bring him with him to keep up the charade of Louis being an old friend Nick hasn’t seen in ages. He is sure she isn’t buying it, but he needs to try. “Or Nicholas.”

“Uh… all of them,” Nick says, trying to focus as he opens the door to Louis to get into the car. “I mean, I’m Nicholas Grimshaw. So Nick and Grimmy are nicknames and… really you can just use any of them.”

“Oh,” Louis says, sitting down finally in the car and reaching for the keys in Nick’s hand. “I’m Louis. Just Louis. Nothing else.”

“Louis,” Nick repeats, holding the keys out of reach from him. “Now we are going to drive to my house and you have to sit still okay? Because if you don’t I might drive off the road and we will be dead. If you can die. I can die anyway. Can you die?”

He is nervous. When he rambles he is nervous. Louis shrugs.

“I don’t think so. I am not sure, though. Maybe?”

“Great,” Nick mutters and he starts the car. He’s got an angel in his car who isn’t sure if he can die, and might possibly be the death of Nick. It’s all good. All bloody fantastic. As he drives out on the highway, the closest way back to his house, Louis looks absolutely amazed with the buildings and other cars. Nick watches him carefully, glances over when he doesn’t have to keep an eye on the road and it makes him smile.

Doesn’t mean he isn’t grateful when they are finally back home though.

“Listen, I’m not really sure why I’m doing this but… you know, you have nowhere to go.” Nick says, as they walk up to the house. “And well…”

“Thank you Nicholas, you are very kind,” Louis says with a little smile and Nick wonders why his eyes must look that beautiful. Must be some angel trait.

“Welcome,” he mutters, and opens the door. Pig comes running the second he is in and suddenly his attention is all on her. “Piggie!”

He lets the dog lick all over his face and it takes him a while to realise that Louis is pressed against the wall, looking pale and absolutely terrified as he watches them. Nick bites his lip, holding on to Pig who is now noticing their guest.

“What’s wrong?” Nick asks, and Louis lets out a little whimper.

“What’s that?”

“It’s Pig,” Nick says, patting her head. “It’s my dog. You’re afraid of dogs?”

Louis doesn’t say anything but it’s obvious that he is. His lips are trembling and Nick keeps a hand on Pig’s collar.

“She’s not…” he starts, but it’s as if he realises that it’s not the way he would deal with someone who is afraid of dogs. “She won’t touch you. Come here Pig.”

Usually Pig would be very curious of guests but it’s as if she can tell that this guest isn’t particularly fond of her because she stays away. Nick bribes her with a delicious dinner to follow on her walk, and then she falls asleep in her dog bed and Nick can finally talk to Louis.

Well not as much talk, because as the dog is gone, Louis takes a deep breath before quickly taking off his clothes and spreading his wings.

Nick feels blinded. Not only by Louis’ very much naked body and the shock of seeing it again, but also because his wings are even larger than he remembers them. Being with Louis all day Nick has almost forgotten the fact that there is something not quite usual about him, but now he is reminded in full force.

“Uhm,” he blinks and looks away, hoping it’s just a feeling that he is blushing and that his face isn’t actually as bright red as it feels. “Do you… uh… maybe you should… keep your clothes…”

“Why?” Louis asks, turning to him and looking very annoyed. “I feel trapped, it’s like a prison in there. It’s bad enough to be here. Just let me be.”

Nick wonders if he should say that no one asked him to be here but then again, maybe he probably did considering that he asked Louis to come home with him. He might have to regret this.

“But it’s… someone could see,” Nick hisses, wondering how you explain this. “And it would... not be good.”

Louis doesn’t understand it at all, but finally he agrees to wear Nick’s sweatpants. They are still too big on him and he needs to roll them up by the ankles but it’s all good.

 

Apart from Louis finding it hilarious that Nick needs to cook food to eat, insisting on trying it for himself and almost sets the entire kitchen on fire, everything is going just fine. Nick isn’t bothered by this at all, not at all.

Especially not when Louis’ eyes, big blue and sparkly look up at him through dark lashes.

“Was that not the way you cook food? You humans are so crazy.”

“Christ,” Nick mutters and then wonders if you shouldn’t speak of Jesus Christ in front of a supposed angel, but Louis doesn’t react to any of it.

He does however get completely enthralled by The Great British Bake Off when it airs later that night, and Nick finds the whole thing a bit endearing.

 

\--

 

The first night Nick notices that Louis doesn’t sleep. It’s not the most pleasant way of finding out, but it’s because he wakes up from noticing a strange glow, opening his eyes only to see Louis sitting in the window, naked again, his skin glowing in the moonlight as he watches Nick.

“Louis,” Nick grunts, covering his eyes with a pillow. “Go to sleep.”

“I don’t sleep. I’m bored,” Louis says. He stretches out, his wings as well and it casts scary looking shadows over Nick’s bed. “How long are you going to sleep anyway? When do you wake up?”

Nick looks over to his alarm clock and it’s 1am meaning he has only slept for 2 hours.

“Longer than this,” he says, removing the pillow to look at Louis. “Louis, go to bed.”

“I don’t want to, not when I don’t do what you do. Can I stay here?” Louis asks, tilting his head to the side and Nick wonders what kind of bad karma he collected in his other life to deserve this.

“And watch me sleep? Louis that’s creepy.”

Louis rolls his eyes. Nick didn’t think angels rolled their eyes but apparently this one does.

“That’s not creepy at all. You are creepy for spending hours just drooling and having your eyes closed.”

Nick wants to rip his hair out.

“Just let me sleep!” he grunts because he needs to be up in a few hours and he doubts _‘arguing with an angel’_ will explain why he is so tired. Louis tilts his head to the side.

“Can I stay here?” He asks again, as if the comments from Nick didn’t affect him at all. Nick grunts again, rolls over, burying his face against the softer pillow.

He doesn’t say anything, not no or not yes, but when he wakes up from his alarm a few hours later Louis is still there, going through his closet.

“Do you actually wear these?” Louis asks, face twisted in a grimace as he holds out Nick’s favourite pair of white, skinny jeans. “They are so…”

“Yes,” Nick mutters, and he is for once happy he hasn’t any trouble getting up in the morning. He stands up, snatching the jeans from Louis. “I’m gonna wear them now.”

Louis hums.

“Why is your cock hard?”

Nick looks down before he can stop himself and well damn, there is his morning wood not only hard but also poking out of the opening of his boxers. He lets out a little whine, tucking himself back in before he glares at Louis and hopes he isn’t blushing.

“It’s the morning. Things happen in the morning. Doesn’t it happen to you?” He asks, Louis shrugging as he looks down at his own crotch, still naked but it doesn’t even bother Nick anymore. It’s weird. Already so weird. Also, Nick isn’t sure if it feels okay with angels uttering the word ‘cock’. He thought they would be innocent.

“Nope,” Louis says, actually poking his own dick with a finger. “I think it only happens to you. Maybe something is wrong with you.”

Nick wonders if he should start to list all things he thinks is wrong with _Louis_ , but Nick is a nice person, especially in the mornings, so instead of doing that he just gets dressed.

“Is something wrong with you?” Louis asks, tilting his head to the side and Nick grunts, putting on the most comfortable shirt he can find.

“No, it’s… human nature. Did you not learn about sexual things up where you come from?” he asks, not sure why this is making him so awkward. Maybe because Louis is naked in front of him or maybe because he is not from here. Maybe you don’t have sex up in heaven.

Louis shakes his head.

“No, will you teach me?”

Nick almost falls over at that. He can’t believe it.

“Uh.. teach you?” he asks and Louis looks innocently up at him, nodding.

“Please, I want to learn all about this… sex thing you are talking about. Can you make me hard too? Like you are?”

“I….” Nick is freaking out. Louis moves closer.

“Can I make you hard?”

Nick is deep red now. He has to turn away from Louis, taking a deep breath.

“I… Louis… there…”

He is going over lots of different things he could say when he hears Louis letting out a loud laugh.

“I’m just messing with you, of course I know what sex is. Just wanted to see what you would do,” he hums before he jumps up in Nick’s bed, making himself comfortable.

Nick just stares, and suddenly he doesn’t feel like a nice person in the morning. He is thinking of something nasty to say, but decides not to. He does flip Louis off though, before going out to pick up Pig for her morning walk.

It’s raining cats and dogs when Nick opens the door and Pig lets out a little whining noise before she runs back inside.

When she pees all over one of Nick’s most expensive rugs, Nick doesn’t even have the energy to be annoyed.

 

\--

 

After the first week of having an angel in his house, Nick is exhausted and he doesn’t even know what to do with himself. Sometimes Louis is just a normal man that Nick accidentally invited in and that only shows himself to be different from others with a pair of huge wings and his inability to wear clothes unless reminded of it.

He decides to meet up with the one person he thinks might understand him, and Harry is thankfully free. He invites Nick over for a cup of tea and talk, and Nick is so grateful to be out of the house for a moment he almost feels guilty. He makes sure Louis knows where he is, but then he says he will probably be gone for the whole evening.

Louis doesn’t mind.

 

Nick does, however, mind when they make it ten minutes into the conversation and Harry is already making fun of him. By then, Nick regrets even mentioning this.

“So…” Harry asks, amused, Nick can tell but Nick doesn’t feel like pointing that out. “What kind of angel is he?”

Nick glares.

“Just… an angel, I guess an angel, what do you mean what kind of angel, he’s just an angel!” He says, his voice is as annoyed as it usually gets when it’s late at night and he hasn’t had anything proper to eat all day. Harry chuckles.

“Well I was just asking,” he bites his lip and now he is clearly amused and Nick can tell he is going to give him shit for this, he really is. “I mean… is he like the angels from Supernatural? Or Doctor Who? Or is he one of those baby angels playing the…”

Nick throws a pillow at him before standing up.

“If you’re gonna be like this I don’t want to talk to you about it,” he says as Harry catches the pillow with both hands before it hits him in the face, and he is laughing so hard his curls are bouncing up and down.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Harry says through the laugh attacks. “I was just trying to get the details.”

“You don’t believe me,” Nick says, and he can tell himself with the way his voice drops at the end of the sentence that he feels so defeated. Harry seems to be able to tell as well, because he stops laughing and peeks out from behind the pillow. He sighs.

“Nicholas, it’s a bit… difficult to believe, isn’t it love? I mean, I am not sure if I believe angels would just show up and then… stay over at your place and play with your dog.”

“He doesn’t play with Pig,” Nick mutters. “He is afraid of her. To be honest all he does is watch the Great British Bake Off.”

It had been fun at first but now it’s mostly bothering Nick. Mostly because he misses all kinds of TV shows he would like to see, because Louis wants to watch GBBO. Nick does however for some reason still find the way Louis’ face lights up a bit endearing, and he can’t say no to that.

“ _Anyway_ …” Harry says, ignoring Nick’s comment. “Are you sure it’s not just some kind of… confused lad _thinking_ he is an angel? You could never _really_ be sure, right? I mean…”

“Harry, he’s got wings,” Nick says and it’s frustrating that Harry just won’t believe him, this whole conversation would be so much easier if Harry could just believe him. “He’s got wings and they… work and he’s… he doesn’t know about… Harry it’s not something you can just fake!”

Harry still doesn’t look convinced. Nick tries a different tactic.

“Would you please just come and meet him?” He tries. “We can… I mean you can… you can see for yourself that this isn’t a normal guy. He is an angel, Harry. I mean he is annoying as fuck and there is nothing angel-like about him, or not the way I had pictured angels anyway, but I swear he is an angel.”

Harry hesitates. It’s as if he isn’t really sure what he is getting himself into. Nick wishes he had thought about this before he had let Louis into his life. Bit too late now.

“Please,” Nick repeats and looks at Harry with such pleading eyes that he hopes Harry just won’t be able to say no. He hopes he has that kind of power over him. “I promise it won’t take long, and I promise I’m not lying.”

Finally Harry gives in. As always.

“Fine,” he says with a little sigh. “But you better treat me to a nice cuppa, right?”

Nick promises.

 

\--

 

Louis loves Harry and Harry loves Louis.

Nick isn’t sure why it makes him grumpy.

Maybe because Harry doesn’t even flinch when he notices Louis’ wings, or that they both start talking about GBBO like it’s something that is important. Nick needs to get into that show, probably. He is just not really feeling it.

“Nicholas, you’ve been hiding Louis for too long,” Harry says with a little grin as they are all drinking tea in front of the TV. “He is amazing.”

“So are you,” Louis says with a smile bigger than the state of Texas. Nick rolls his eyes.

“Well I’m glad I could introduce the both of you then,” he says and there’s a bit more salt to his voice than he had intended it to be. He usually doesn’t like being salty. Harry frowns.

“Nick…”

“Did you really use to be a baker?” Louis interrupts, asking Harry the question as if Harry has just told him that he was the first man on Mars, because it sounds as if he is just as impressed. “Can we bake a cake sometimes? Like the ones they make on the show?”

Harry grins and nods.

“Of course we can. If you want.”

Louis nods eagerly, then stretches out his wings and sighs.

“I’m gonna go get some air, can we pause this?”

He pauses the show without even waiting for a reply, before running upstairs to his favourite window. Nick is watching him go, only interrupted with Harry nudging his arm.

“Seems like you were right,” Harry’s lips are crooked in a pleased smile. “He is an angel.”

Nick shrugs.

“Yeah, you know. I told you.”

“You’re not jealous if I become friends with him, right?” Harry asks, and Nick lets out a loud laugh at that.

“Me, jealous? Don’t be ridiculous.”

Harry gives him an amused smile, clearly he doesn’t believe him but it doesn’t really matter. Nick would not be jealous. He knows himself.

He is not jealous at all.

 

\--

 

“I am tired of watching people bake,” Nick complains as Louis wants him to join in on a marathon of old GBBO episodes. Louis pouts.

“But what else should we do?” he asks as he arches an eyebrow. Nick yawns.

“Do we have to do anything? I’m tired.”

Louis stares at him as if this is very difficult to understand, but he leans back on the sofa anyway, sighing.

“Harry told me I should ask you if we should do things together too.”

Nick blushes hard at that.

“Wh… what? Why would he say that?”

Louis shrugs.

“He says you need to feel like I want to spend time with you, if not you will be jealous that I’m off baking cakes with Harry.”

Nick lets out a roaring laughter at that, hoping it will hide his blush. Louis looks confused.

“Really,” Nick says, looking at Louis. “Don’t listen to Harry. Harry is… a very confused… man…”

“Harry says you like me,” Louis says, and Nick needs to get away from this conversation.

“Like I said,” he says, desperately hoping his voice isn’t as high pitched as he feel like it is. “Harry is a very, very confused man that you shouldn’t listen to. Honestly I am not even sure why we are friends. I think he just played his way into my life, it wasn’t my choice.”

Louis looks very confused.

“I thought you were great friends, best friends. He reminds me of someone I have… back home.”

Nick stops being nervous as Louis says that. He hasn’t really been talking this much about his home and now Nick is curious. Not only welcoming the idea of a new topic to talk about.

“Really?” he asks, and bites his lower lip. “You uhm… wanna talk about that?”

Louis shrugs.

“Not really much to talk about. You know, haven’t seen him since I ended up here.”

“Why are you here?” Nick asks, and now he is really curious. “You never told me…”

It takes Nick probably a bit too long to realise how awkward this conversation is making Louis. It’s too late to stop it now though, he has already started asking the questions and he can’t take them back.

“I was… you know. Not the perfect angel.” Louis says slowly, causing Nick to have to bite his tongue to not agree on that.

“What do you mean?” he asks instead because that must be the polite way to react to that statement, even if it wasn’t what he had in mind. Louis shrugs. His wings flutter as the wings of a butterfly getting caught in a net. Nick wonders if he feels caught.

“I just… I guess I always struggled… holding me tongue.” Louis says, and Nick nods because even if he hasn’t known Louis for long, he can surely see that it must be one of Louis’ biggest problems.

“Not popular in heaven, huh?” Nick asks, and Louis glares.

“Well, no.” He says slowly and then grunts. He jumps up in the window again, opening it so he can sit with his wings outside, fully spread. Nick kind of wish he would stop doing that, but also doesn’t feel like pointing it out when they are having what feels like the first proper conversation since Louis came here. He prays that no one will see it and wonder why Nick Grimshaw is having a young man in big feathery wings in his window. That would be something for _The Sun._

“Do you want to… talk about it?” he asks instead, hoping that he can bring Louis back inside. Louis shakes his head.

“No.”

Nick nods. It’s amazing how Louis can shut up just when Nick would really like to hear him say more. He leaves it though, and lets Louis sit in the window. Pig needs a walk anyway.

 

\--

 

Nick bribes Louis into watching something else than the GBBO one night when he has had a stressful day at work, and Louis agrees.

Nick isn’t sure why he picked a film with angels, but maybe Louis can relate and it will be a good time for both of them.

It’s not.

“That wouldn’t work,” Louis rolls his eyes as he watches the TV. Nick looks up.

“What wouldn’t?”

Louis points to the screen, looking as if it’s absolutely horrible what is going on there.

“An angel couldn’t heal someone close to dying. They wouldn’t be allowed to still be angels. They would have their wings taken away along with all their powers. Why do humans make films that doesn’t even make sense?”

He looks at Nick as if Nick holds all the answers. Sometimes when he does, Nick almost wants to blush. But now he just shrugs because he really doesn’t know.

“I don’t know. But wait, what do you mean you get your wings taken away from you? How can they take your wings? Do they cut them off?”

Louis laughs loudly and he doesn’t stop for a long time, as if Nick just said something very hilarious. Nick wishes he would laugh that hard when Nick is actually trying to be funny.

“Of course not, silly,” Louis says, with the tone of his voice as someone speaking to a young child who just did something endearing. Nick isn’t sure if it’s a compliment. “They can’t just cut them off. Wings would never let someone just cut them off.”

“But then what happens?” Nick wants to know because really, this sounds interesting. Louis suddenly gets serious.

“Well, when you don’t deserve your wings they shrink before they fall off. You lose the feathers and they turn pale grey, and then before you know it there are just no wings left. Sometimes it’s quicker, sometimes it takes a long time. It depends on how badly you screw up.”

Nick nods, biting his lip.

“So when you got kicked out…”

Louis nods.

“I mean it was a punishment, but it didn’t affect my wings. Like with Lucifer, he lost his wings so quickly he just fell from the sky. It was scary. But me it’s… no, it didn’t affect my wings.”

Nick wants to ask so much more. Wants to ask about if Lucifer is _the_ Lucifer, wants to ask how old Louis really is, wants to ask if he is scared of losing his wings.

But it’s as if he can tell from the way Louis’ face turns away from him, that there was a _‘yet’_ about to finish Louis’ last sentence, and it gives Nick all the answers he needs for the moment, and the proof that the time for questions is over.

 

\--

 

That night it’s not even late when Louis comes into Nick’s room. He hasn’t in a while now, at least not that Nick is aware of (and he seriously hopes that Louis doesn’t sneak into his room when he isn’t aware) and Nick is still awake.

“Nick?” Louis whispers in the dark, and Nick sits up. He does it out of reflex, he isn’t even sure why.

“Yeah?”

“Can I stay here with you?”

There is something sad in his voice, something Nick can’t quite place, but he moves to the side to give Louis room in the bed anyway.

“Of course,” he whispers as Louis lets out a grateful sigh, crawling in next to Nick.

“Thank you.”

Nick nods, even if he knows Louis can’t see it in the dark. The glow from Louis’ skin isn’t strong anymore, and as he turns his back to Nick and closes his eyes, it almost looks as if he is sleeping.

The wings are the only thing keeping Nick from thinking he is just a normal man, but angel or not Nick is pretty sure that he is completely fucked right now. It can’t get any worse. Until Louis whispers again.

“Nick?”

“Mhm.”

“Do you like me?”

Nick feels his heart jump out of his chest and down the floor and run in circles. He swallows hard.

“Wha.. what do you mean?” he asks, hoping that no one can see that he is blushing. He remembers they can’t. It’s dark, he is safe.

“Like Harry said,” Louis says, moving a bit closer. “Harry said you like me. He says that all the time. That you like me.”

“Uh… remember that I said… Harry isn’t…” Nick stammers. “Why do you… think…”

“You’re so nice to me,” Louis whispers, and then he adds. “I think I like you.”

Nick doesn’t fall asleep.

 

\--

 

The upcoming days are more awkward than Nick would like to admit. It’s not as if something really changes between them, but it’s still a feeling of something that makes Nick wonder, wonder what is going on and why it’s so nice that Louis comes into bed with him each night now.

He isn’t sure if Louis’ sleeps, Louis says he doesn’t sleep, but sometimes Nick wakes up and Louis looks peaceful in a way he isn’t sure if one can fake.

Nick wants to ask what Louis means with ‘like’, wants to ask what it means for him because honestly, it’s driving Nick insane. But he can’t, he can’t bring himself to ask. Doesn’t want to make things awkward.

Sometimes when they sleep Louis rolls into his body, and Nick feels as if he doesn’t dare to move in case he will wake him up, or bother him, whatever it is Louis is doing when his eyes are closed in bed.

But his heart beats faster for every night it happens.

 

\--

 

Nick regrets telling Harry about everything going on just two seconds after saying it, but it’s already out there.

“You are falling for him,” Harry practically squeals into the phone in a way that makes Nick wish he had called his mother instead. She wouldn’t squeal like this. “I’ve heard of fallen angels but oh my god Nick, you are falling in love with your angel! I knew it.”

“You’re an idiot,” Nick mutters and he doesn’t even want to respond to this, but well he did call Harry for a reason. He needs to talk to him about this because he is going crazy. “It’s just… you know it’s confusing. He is just… here, and we’re…”

Pig shows up, nudging his leg for attention and Nick sighs.

“Not now, Piggie,” he says quietly, and gestures for her to go away. “Daddy is on the phone.”

Pig gives him a little offended bark but she leaves anyway, and Nick can focus on Harry on the phone, no matter how unpleasant that is.

“You are falling for him,” Harry sighs happily. “It’s so romantic, don’t you think so Grim? So romantic. I knew this would happen, I knew you liked him. I could see it from miles away, you’re so obvious babe.”

“What’s romantic about this?!” Nick complains, before quickly adding. “And it’s not love, I’m not in love. It’s some kind of angel magic spell keeping me… feeling weird.”

“The spell… of looooove,” Harry sings, and if he was there Nick would throw a shoe at him.

“That is not true,” Nick says, and he wonders when discussions about this will make him stop feeling like he is falling down a dark hole. “I can’t have feelings for an angel.”

“You should tell him,” Harry sighs happily. “And you can be together. Live forever in love and…”

“Harry I gotta go,” Nick says, sounding a bit more annoyed than he had intended, but these questions are driving him insane. Seriously insane. “He is an angel and he will probably go away soon and that’s… that. Bye.”

He hangs up, not wondering whether or not Harry was done with the conversation. He looks around the kitchen, wondering where Pig went.

“Piggie?” He calls out, cursing as he notices the backdoor is open. “Fuck.”

He walks out, still whistling and calling her name.

“Pig, you know you can’t be in the garden… Pig, no goodies for you tonight!”

He looks around, about to feel a bit frustrated that he has to deal with both an annoying best friend and a dog that is nowhere to be found when he hears the shriek of car tires from outside on the street.

Nick isn’t sure why his heart gets cold the second he hears it, or why he starts rushing towards the sound.

It’s like he just knows.

“I didn’t see her!” A young man is just stepping out of his car, he looks pale and shocked as he looks at something at the side of the road. “God, I didn’t see her!”

Nick rushes forward, not even uttering a word to the young man.

His eyes are only focused on the little, lifeless body next to the road.

“Pig!” Nick’s voice is so much louder than he thought it would be, and it hurts with every letter of the name as he speaks, his heart breaking at the same time his voice breaks. He rushes forward, pushing past the driver who is repeating the same words over and over again that Nick doesn’t hear.

He doesn’t want to hear. He doesn’t care.

Pig is on the ground, Pig was hit by a car and Nick isn’t sure how this happened but he is certain that it’s his fault, and he knows he will never forgive himself.

“Pig,” he says again, but now his voice is softer as he closes in on the dog, as if he doesn’t want to scare her. She looks so tiny, like the tiny puppy he brought home, as if she is back to that puppy state and not the grown up dog he is getting used to having around.

“I’ll get some help,” the driver says, and Nick doesn’t care, doesn’t even want to listen. His hand reaches for Pig as he kneels down on the ground, carefully brushing over her ear.

“Please,” Nick whispers, his face is wet with tears already as he lifts Pig up from the ground. She gives him a tired look. “Don’t do this to me Piggie. Don’t do this to me girl.”

She whines, the little whimpering noise she usually makes when she has been alone for too long and Nick comes back, or when she is hungry. She has never made a noise like this in this situation though, never when she is bleeding from her ear and her fur is dirty and her legs look broken, both of them. Nick swallows, tears streaming down his face and dropping into her fur. The tears drop down on the ground, rolling off the fur.

“Pig,” he whispers again and he isn’t sure what he is even trying to do here. “Keep your eyes on me, it’s going to be okay, it’s going to be fine.”

She closes her eyes and goes so still, a thump sound of her tail one last time against Nick’s leg and Nick feels as if his whole body breaks.

“Please don’t,” he says, and he is crying hard now but forcing himself to stay still and not start shaking, because he can’t drop her, he can’t. “Pig you can’t die on me. Piggie. Piggie.”

“Nick?”

It’s like the first thing Nick hears apart from the sound of Pig’s breathing being slower and slower, almost fading as he holds her.

Louis shows up from nowhere, looking over Nick and Pig and his being casts a shadow over both of them.

“Louis,” Nick sobs, feeling the pain pulsating in his veins. “Pig got hit by a car. She’s… god, Louis.”

He isn’t sure what happens when he hears a little whimpering noise. It’s not from himself, it’s not from Pig.

It’s from Louis.

“Give her to me,” he says, almost demanding as he holds his arms out. Nick looks up, blinking a couple of times and feeling confused.

“Louis…”

He doesn’t fight it when Louis takes her, doesn’t fight it at all even if he for a moment ago felt as if he never wanted to let her go again. Ever. He looks up through eyes clouded with tears, watching Louis move his hand over Pig’s body.

“I’ll save you Pig girl,” Louis whispers, and Nick’s jaw drops.

“Louis,” he croaks, not sure why he is fighting this. “Louis you said… you said it can’t be done… Louis your wings you… you will lose it… you don’t even like her.”

Louis meets his eyes. He looks determined in a way Nick hasn’t seen him before, his eyes almost glowing with a faint hint of ice blue as he looks at Pig again.

“Maybe not,” he says, before his hand covers her face. “But I love you.”

 

Nick looks away as the light coming from the palm of Louis’ hand almost blinds him, and it follows with a force so strong like a wind, and Nick falls to the ground and sitting down as his eyes really hurts from the light.

He isn’t sure how long it takes before he can look up again but when he does, Louis is spread out on the ground. His shirt is ripped open, the wings being spread out as well like if he is ready to fly. He is panting.

Nick looks to the side and hears a whimpering noise and a bark, and he covers his mouth with his hand as he sees Pig.

“Pig,” he whispers, rushing forward as Pig sits up, making a little whimpering noise as she sees him but she is okay. She looks okay. “Oh god.”

Nick takes his time to hug her, letting her lick all over his face before he looks to Louis. Louis’ eyes are closed and he is still breathing hard, as if every breath hurts him.

“Louis…” Nick whispers, brushing his fingers over his cheekbones. Louis blinks, looking up at him.

“Is… is she okay…” he asks, grimacing as if he is in pain. “hurts…”

Nick nods, and Pig puts her paws on Louis’ chest as if this will help the situation. Nick isn’t sure, but he doesn’t want to tell her to go away from him. Louis smiles.

“Good,” he says weakly as he meets Nick’s eyes. “Good.”

“Louis are you…”

“It’s all good,” Louis murmurs and he squeezes Nick’s hand. Trying to. His grip is weak and Nick feels ready to cry again. He looks to Louis’ wings, his heart beating faster as he see the change in the shade of them.

“Louis, they are…”

Louis lets out a laugh. It’s even weaker than his grip, even weaker than his smile.

“Told you,” He mumbles and his eyes close. “They don’t like it when you break the rules.”

Nick isn’t even sure if his brain works when he notices Louis’ breathing. Or that he’s stopped breathing more like it. Pig gives another bark as Nick whimpers.

“Louis…”

“God, bro. What were you thinking?”

The voice is startling close to Nick’s ear. He looks up, falling backwards as a man he hasn’t seen before is crouched over both of them and Pig. He’s got one of those face the models that Topman brings in, and he is wearing leather jacket, skinny jeans and there’s a tattoo that Nick would be curious about if Louis wasn’t lifeless in front of him just moment after he had Pig lifeless in his arms.

“Who… who are you?” Nick asks, and the man shakes his head.

“Louis just doesn’t really think? You know? He is the worst.”

“Who are you?” Nick asks again, and now he is annoyed. This guy is rude and in the way and Nick wants to help Louis, not waste time on talking to an ass.

“I’m Zayn,” the guy says, as if Nick is supposed to have heard about him. Nick hasn’t.

“And…” Nick mutters, his hand trailing over Louis’ arm. “Louis, please…”

“I’m Louis’ friend,” the guy, Zayn, follows up his explanation and he gets down to his knees next to Louis, tilting his head to look at him. “He will be okay, you know. He just won’t be welcomed back now.”

Nick blinks, and it’s as if suddenly he realises that the guy in front of him is also from where Louis is. He is wearing clothes though, so if this guy is an angel, Nick can’t see due to that.

“You mean…”

“He was on probation,” Zayn sighs and sits back, crossing his legs. “They will not like him saving a life, they really won’t. They will take his wings, and he will live as a mortal until the end of his mortal life.”

Nick swallows. He feels as if he is in a movie. Which, if he is honest, he has been feeling since the moment he laid eyes on Louis, but this is just even more so.

“But…” he says, knowing just how dumb he must sound but he can’t stop. “Can’t you… can’t you do anything?”

Zayn shakes his head. His hair falls in his eyes, he pushes it out of the way.

“No. I can only make sure he knows what’s going on.”

It’s as if Louis hears that because he opens his eyes, blinking in surprise as he notices Zayn there.

“Zayn…” his voice is hoarse, and Zayn gives him a soft smile.

“Hey there, Louis. What were you thinking?”

Louis lets out a little laugh at that, shaking his head.

“I don’t know… is it over now?”

Zayn nods slowly, cupping Louis’ face and rubbing a thumb over his cheekbones. Nick feels almost in the way, as if he should look away, that this is something intimate he shouldn’t see. He can’t though, he stares almost enthralled by the whole thing.

“I didn’t mean to leave you,” Louis whispers, a tear trickling down his cheek. “It was never about leaving you.”

“I know that, babe,” Zayn’s voice is soft as he still keeps his thumb stroking Louis’ cheek. “I know you never wanted this. But it happened. Do you promise you will make the best of it?”

Louis nods. Nick wonders what he means, wonders what is going on.

“Will it hurt when they fall off?” Louis whispers, his voice sounds thick and Zayn smiles.

“No, it won’t hurt. It will be over in a second. You did something good, Louis. You did something that was good. Never forget that. They just don’t understand.”

“I will miss you,” Louis lets out a quiet sob and god, Nick really wants to look away now.

Zayn leans in, kissing his forehead.

“I won’t go away. I will be here when you need me,” he murmurs, and his voice is low. “You know how to call me, right?”

Louis nods.

“I wish you didn’t have to leave. Can’t you stay? Why can’t you stay?”

“It doesn’t work like that, bro,” Zayn says sadly. He kisses Louis’ forehead again. “I will come back when you need me. But right now, I think you have all you need.”

He glances over at Nick and that is the first time Nick looks away. He is blushing. It’s too sappy and too much but his heart is beating faster.

He is about to look back when there is the light again, the strong light that hurts his eyes and Nick feel blinded once more.

 

\--

 

When Nick wakes up it’s to the sound of a dog barking, and his head hurts and he can’t even remember how he got back into bed. He can’t even remember what happened.

He wonders if it’s all a dream, wonder if this whole thing has been something his mind made up, when he turns to the side and notices Louis there.

Nick’s heart flips.

Louis is sleeping, peacefully so, and there is no doubt right now that he is sleeping, and Nick can’t help but to reach out and nudge his arm, just to make sure he is still there.

Louis makes a little noise, rolling over, and his bare back shows Nick all he needs to know.

No proof of wings ever existing there, it’s like they are all gone and Nick wonders how Louis will handle that.

“Louis…” Nick whispers, nudging him carefully again. “Louis, wake up…”

It’s as if those words are the ones that startle Louis enough to react to him, because he sits up, looking around in horror.

“I slept? I don’t sleep!”

Nick bites his lip, wondering how he will explain this.

“You, uhm… yeah you slept… uh… do you remember what… happened yesterday?”

Louis stares at him, shaking his head but then it’s suddenly like everything comes back to him all at once because he tears up. His hands go to his back, looking frightened.

“My wings. They took my wings. My wings, Nick.”

Nick nods and wonders what he should do, wonders how you react to something like this.

“I know,” he whispers, wanting to pull Louis in for a hug. “I’m sorry Louis, I’m sorry.”

“My wings,” Louis whispers, and he looks broken in ways Nick has never seen a person look broken before. “What will I do… without my wings? What am I without my wings, Nick?”

Nick wants to say lots of things. He wants to try to explain but he isn’t sure what it is that Louis wants to hear, and he is not going to say something that will upset him. He stays quiet, which probably wasn’t smart either.

“Nick,” Louis whines. “What am I?”

“You’re… you’re Louis,” Nick whispers finally, sitting up in bed as he hears Pig on the other side of the bedroom door. He ignores her for the moment though. “Don’t think that’s something… that’s not something bad. To be a Louis. With or without wings.”

A smile spreads on his lips as he says that, and it’s a real one, much realer than Nick thought he could come up with, and Louis smiles too after a while.

“Do you mean that?” Louis asks, and Nick nods.

“Yeah. Do you want to come with me and Pig for a walk?”

It’s mean as a distraction, and Louis hesitates, but then he nods, which is something he wouldn’t have done a week ago.

“Yes. Can I?”

Nick nods. As they get ready to take an excited Pig outside, Nick remembers how Louis said he loves him yesterday. He isn’t sure when he can ask about that either.

 

\--

 

Pig is being extra nosy with everything, causing the normal 30 minute walk to take a good 2 hours and Nick wonders if this was too much for Louis as a first day outside with a dog, but Louis doesn’t seem to mind. When they get back to the house, Louis leans down to let Pig off her leash, smiling as he watches her set off to her water bowl and Nick can’t help but smile at the whole situation.

He stops when Louis turns to him, looking serious.

“Nick, about yesterday…”

Nick blushes, god, why is he blushing? He shouldn’t be blushing.

“Yeah…”

“I don’t regret it,” Louis says firmly, as if Nick had asked that. “You know, about saving her? I don’t regret it.”

“I,” Nick says, swallowing a couple of times. “I’m uh…”

“Maybe I regret saying that…” Louis looks away. “Maybe…”

“What?” Nick asks desperately because please, please don’t regret saying that. _Please don’t regret saying that you love me._ But from the look in Louis’ face, it’s obvious that is what he means. Nick swallows again. Louis sighs.

“I guess I…”

“You…” Nick mumbles.

Louis leans in closer. Nick’s breath hitch, and he tries to desperately come up with what to do. He has never been this close to Louis before, and Louis is looking from his eyes to his lips, back to his eyes.

“I…” Louis whispers and god, _just kiss me_ , Nick wants to yell, he wants to pull Louis closer and kiss him right now.

“Yeah?” he says instead, because he knows he can’t just jump him, he can’t -- _he shouldn’t._

“Should we…” Louis whispers, and Nick wants to scream that yes, yes they should. But before he can even nod, Louis has pulled away. His cheeks are flushed.

“Sorry,” he whispers. “You, uhm… wanna watch GBBO?”

Nick tries to not look really disappointed as he nods.

“Yeah… yeah uhm, sure.”

They don’t say anything else, but Louis leans into Nick on the sofa as they watch.

 

\--

 

They never discuss Louis still living there, because Nick isn’t sure where Louis would even go if he didn’t stay there, and Louis never asks about it. Also Nick really doesn’t want him to leave.

It’s gotten familiar and it feels like a home, to come back each day to Louis and Pig, and Nick doesn’t want it to end. Louis doesn’t seem to mind it either, and even if they maybe should discuss that, they don’t.

 

Nick feels like he shouldn’t be surprised when Harry gets Louis a job, and that the job is as a model for one of clothing lines Harry manages. Louis is smiling big when he is telling Nick.

“They say I have the right cheekbones, apparently. I didn’t know I did, but well, here I am so I should go for it, right? The model?”

Nick nods. It’s impossible to not be happy for Louis. He is just so… endearing.

“Of course you should, Harry knows good people.”

Louis nods.

“And I want a job too. You know, not just sit here all day. Not that it’s bad to spend time in this house, but I want to do something else. And this seems fun.”

“Louis,” Nick laughs a little. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. You should get a job and Harry’s got the great connections. Believe me, you will have fun.”

Louis smiles brightly.

“Why didn’t he help you become a model?” he asks, and Nick lets out a loud laugh.

“Oh, my face is more for radio.”

Louis watches him with a little smile.

“I don’t think so.”

Nick blushes.

“Uhm… when did Harry say you should start?” he asks instead, and Louis looks at his phone. Nick feels a bit pleased noticing that he still uses the screensaver that Nick picked for him when they got him that phone.

“Tomorrow, at 8,” Louis grimaces. “That’s early right?”

Nick arches an eyebrow.

“Hun, you used to stay awake all night, you mean you aren’t into early mornings?”

Louis shakes his head.

“Well excuse me Nicholas, sleep or not, early mornings are awful for every normal person.”

Nick raises his hands in protest.

“I start even earlier!”

“Your point?” Louis asks sweetly with a little grin. Nick pushes him over. Louis falls down on the couch with a giggle and Nick is tempted to join him but he doesn’t.

“Do you want tea?” he asks instead and Louis nods.

“Yes please, Yorkshire,” he says. Nick nods.

“Coming right up.”

“If radio doesn’t work for you anymore you could be a waiter,” Louis calls after him. Nick shouldn’t be this fond about this guy.

 

\--

 

Nick thinks Louis’ model job is a great idea until one day when Louis comes home and Nick can’t for his life figure out why he wants to break something as he listens to him talk about his day.

“I think this guy wants to see me,” Louis says, and Nick looks up from his book.

“Hm?”

“Well, this other model, Liam, he asked me today if I like pasta… and then he gave me his number,” Louis shows Nick a napkin with a number scribbled on it. “That means he wants to see me, right?”

Nick feels his blood go cold and he swallows.

“I… uh… guess so,” he says, hoping it doesn’t show how weak his voice is. Liam, huh. Harry didn’t say anything about Louis working with a Liam.

“Should I call him?” Louis asks, tilting his head as he stares at the number as if it will go away soon. Nick lowkey hopes that it will.

“Well, do you want to call him?” Nick asks, his voice only shaking a little bit. Louis shrugs.

“I don’t know. He was pretty, I guess. I haven’t really dated before. How do you even date? Can you teach me?”

“No,” Nick says so quickly Louis almost looks a bit attacked. “No, I… no uh… I need to go take Pig for a walk.”

“Now?” Louis asks, looking outside. “It’s so dark. Can I come?”

“Well you know, Pig needs to pee and doesn’t care about what time it is!” Nick explains as he grabs her leash, quickly hurrying off to get the dog. He ignores Louis’ question if he can come with them.

Pig isn’t the least bit interested in walking, but Nick forces her.

 

When they get back it’s late, and Pig falls asleep on the most comfortable rug. Nick is tired too, and he brushes his teeth before going into the bedroom, finding Louis curled up in his bed.

“Oh,” he says, as if this is a surprise. It really shouldn’t be, but still. “You, uhm, still gonna stay here?”

“Where else would I be?” Louis looks so confused and Nick feels bad, so bad.

“Well, I mean, Liam probably won’t like if you share a bed with another man,” he shrugs, but he gets into bed next to Louis anyway. Louis shrugs as well.

“Why would he mind that?”

“Because…” Nick blushes hard. “Sharing a bed with someone usually means you are… romantically involved.”

Louis arches an eyebrow.

“But we aren’t, are we?”

“No!” Nick says quickly. “But if you share a bed people might think we… have sex, you know. Or just… kiss or…”

Louis tilts his head.

“You wanna kiss me?”

“I…”

“Or do you want to have sex with me?”

“Louis!” Nick is blushing so hard he wonders if his face will catch fire soon, he wouldn’t be surprised. Louis lets out a chuckle.

“So why would Liam worry about that? You are so silly.”

He cuddles up to Nick’s chest as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, Nick’s heart hurts as his arms wrap around Louis.

“Yeah, I’m silly,” he whispers, and Louis nods.

“Really silly.”

When Louis falls asleep his lips are pressed against Nick’s chest and Nick wonders when this will stop feeling painful.

 

\--

 

Nick knew he should have expected something great considering that Liam is a model. He was not however, prepared for a young David Beckham with eyes of a god who sweeps into the house with a dozen of red roses, pulling Louis in for a hug. Louis squeals as he sees the flowers. Of course.

“Are those for me?” he asks, and Liam nods with a little smile.

“Of course.”

“Nick, I got flowers!” Louis says, showing Nick, and it’s as if that’s the first time Liam notices Nick. He looks a bit confused, but then he walks over, reaching out his hand for Nick to shake.

“Hello. I’m Liam.”

“Nick,” Nick mutters. “So you uhm, work with Louis?”

Liam nods.

“Yep, lucky me huh?”

Louis beams, and then runs off.

“Gotta put these in water!”

Nick had not expected to be alone with Liam. He grips the glass of water he is holding.

“Workplace romance is not frowned upon where you work huh?” he asks, coming off as a bit more jealous than he had wanted to. Liam grins.

“Clearly not. Lucky me huh? Can get with a cutie like that one, I’m telling you, not many lads look as good as he does.”

“Only interested in looks, I see,” Nick comments, and Liam lets out a laugh.

“Listen mate,” Liam says, waving his hand. “I wasn’t aware that Louis had a beau already, and if this isn’t…”

“We’re not together,” Nick says through gritted teeth, hand gripping so hard around the glass he worries it might break. “We aren’t…”

Liam arches an eyebrow.

“Then why are you acting like a little jealous bitch?” he says, causing Nick to take a step closer, wanting to throw the glass at him when Louis shows up again.

“I’m ready!” he says with a big smile. “Are you?”

Liam turns sweet as Louis is close again, and he nods.

“Yes, darling. Let’s go. Is your dad giving you a curfew or are you mine as long as I’d like?” he says, batting his eyelashes in Nick’s direction as Louis looks confused.

“Huh?”

Liam just chuckles as they leave the house, and Nick counts to ten before he throws the glass into the door, watching it shatter in a million pieces.

 

\--

 

“Did you have fun?” Nick mutters as Louis comes back home. Louis is smiling big, skin almost glowing like it used to when Louis first arrived. It’s probably his imagination now though. Just a feeling. Louis nods, dropping his jacket on the sofa and then getting down on the floor to sit and cuddle Pig who comes to greet him.

“Yes, he bought me dinner and then took my hand as we walked back to the car and he kissed me before he dropped me off!” Louis beams, looking up at Nick as Pig licks his face. Nick feels his heart drop.

“Well, isn’t that sweet,” he says coldly. Louis seems to notice.

“Is something wrong?” he asks, and Nick shakes his head.

“Nope, nothing. Everything is brilliant,” Nick says, voice still cold as ice.

It’s not fair to Louis at all as Nick storms off to the bedroom. Nick doesn’t care though, he gets into bed and pulls the blanket over his head.

He isn’t sure if Louis gets into bed with him.

 

\--

 

Nick keeps being immature about the whole thing for a week, and some days he is actually worried Louis will cry when he gives him a snappy reply, but he just can’t stand the idea of Liam and Louis together. He isn’t sure if Louis keeps seeing Liam anyway, because Louis stops talking about it not long after Nick’s start being pissy, and Nick doesn’t blame him.

It’s been weeks when Louis leaves the house without even saying anything to Nick, taking Pig with him and Nick curses him in his living room as there is suddenly a flash of light and Nick is blinded again.

When Nick regains his eyesight, he notices the familiar good looking guy he saw the day Louis lost his wings.

“Zayn,” he says, not able to hide his surprise. “What… what are you doing here?” he clears his throat, trying to sound casual. “Uhm, Louis is out.”

“I know,” Zayn says, moving to sit down on the sofa as if this was casual and normal for a visit. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“To… to me?” Nick asks, surprised and nervous as he fiddles with the hem of his shirt. “Uhm… why do you… want to talk to me?”

“Well…” Zayn starts, but he is soon interrupted. Harry storms through the door, Nick forgetting all about how he had plans with him today.

“Grim, you’re not answering your phone, we’re gonna…” he stops, as he sees Zayn on the sofa. Zayn gives him a smile, as if he is not bothered at all by the sudden guest.

Nick notices Harry’s surprised face turn into more of a weird looking one, a face Nick hasn’t seen often, and he has trouble placing it.

“Harry, we…” he starts because really, he doesn’t need Harry among more angels in his life. He really doesn’t.

Harry ignores him though, instead he takes a step closer to Zayn.

“Hell _o_ ,” Harry says with a little amused smile and his emphasis on the _‘o’_ explains why he looks so goofy as he watches Zayn. Nick wants to roll his eyes but he doesn’t.

“Harry, we are busy here,” he says instead, hoping he doesn’t sound too annoyed. “You can come back later, maybe. I’ll call you.”

He isn’t very polite when he pushes Harry towards the door though, Zayn chuckling behind them. It really isn’t polite considering he did have plans with Harry but well – plans change, and Harry better deal with it.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Harry asks and Nick shakes his head.

“No, down,” he hisses as he opens the door for Harry. “You are _not_ flirting with an angel.”

“Why, you are!” Harry complains, and Nick closes the door in his face. He does not need that right now. Harry doesn’t even know about the Louis-Liam fiasco.

“Sorry about that,” Nick says as he makes it back to Zayn. “I hope it didn’t make you uncomfortable, I know that flirting probably isn’t your thing so…”

Zayn arches an eyebrow.

“Why wouldn’t it be my thing?”

“I just thought…” Nick says quietly, not really sure what to say. “I mean Louis… he said he never really dated or anything so I really just thought that angels…”

Zayn shakes his head.

“Listen, Nick, those people you work with? Are you all the same? Do you like the same food, dress the same, share the same interests and the view of how things should be handled?”

Nick lets out a little laugh, thinking about Fiona and Tina, and how they would never be anything like him, or say that they had anything in common.

“No,” he says, and Zayn smiles a little, giving him a nod.

“Why not? You’re all humans right?”

“Yeah, but…” Nick blushes, realising how dumb he must have sounded just now. “But…”

“We’re not all the same,” Zayn explains, sitting down on the edge of the sofa. “I mean sure, we live by certain rules and laws, just like you, and we are supposed to do certain things but really, we are quite different. Louis and I have things in common, and things that we never in a million years could agree on. Just because we are angels, we are not the same. We have our different personalities, just like you do.”

“So you’re saying that you would be okay with Harry wanting to date you,” Nick asks, maybe because he wants to change the subject so he doesn’t feel dumb, but also because he really is a bit curious. Zayn laughs.

“Well, I saw him for three seconds, but I wouldn’t mind. He’s cute. But you know, long distance isn’t really my thing and Britain – Heaven is quite the long way.”

Nick nods. He can really see that. Zayn gives him another smile but then he turns serious.

“Nick, I know it’s not my business, but do you like Louis?”

Nick turns blushing red again, and he wonders why they had to change the subject to this. He bites his lip, trying to come up with something to say. Zayn sighs.

“Louis is upset. Really upset. I can feel it, and it is as if his feelings are screaming so loud walls could be shaking. I need to know what is going on.”

“Nothing,” Nick says, a bit too fiery. “I mean nothing is going on. He is dating this Liam bloke. They look cute together. It’s all fine.”

“But he likes you,” Zayn says. He stares Nick down and Nick feels so tiny next to him. As if Zayn has some kind of power over him. “And Nick you are not handling this the right way. You should be honest with him.”

“I can’t,” Nick says. “Zayn, it’s too late. I just can’t do that,” his heart hurts. “I think you should leave.”

Zayn sighs. He looks like he wants to say something else, but he doesn’t. Instead he stands up, giving Nick a sad glance.

“It’s never too late. If you don’t give up, it can’t be too late. Have you given up, Nick?”

Nick doesn’t have a reply for him. He bites lip, staying quiet and looking away. When he looks back, Zayn is gone.

 

\--

 

Louis comes back hours later, Pig thirsty and eager for her water bowl, and Louis looking pale as he puts away her leash.

“I think I should find a new place to stay,” he says quietly before Nick has time to say anything. “I might be able to stay with Harry or… Liam or… maybe find my own place…”

Nick looks up, his heart hurts.

“Why?” he asks, and Louis raises his arms in surrender.

“Because… I don’t think it’s a good idea to be here,” his voice is fragile. “Because I think you want me gone, Nick.”

It hurts to hear those words even more. Nick wonders if it’s possible to break his heart even more, but he thinks that right now it is broken. Completely so.

Louis turns away his face when he doesn’t respond.

“I can pack quickly, I mean I don’t really… own much… and I can be gone tonight.”

“I don’t want you to go,” Nick whispers, and Louis turns to face him. His eyes look wet, as if he has been crying and Nick hates that he is one to make Louis cry. He shouldn’t be.

“Why not?” Louis asks, and his voice is trembling. “You don’t want to talk to me anymore, you never hold me when we sleep. You seem like you don’t want me around and I don’t know what I did wrong. I like you and I don’t know why you act like this.”

Nick wants to cry too, god he wants to cry.

“Why don’t you want to be around me anymore?” Louis whispers, and a sob escapes his lips. “Nick, what did I do wrong?”

“I’m jealous,” Nick says, a weight lifted off his shoulders as he finally admits it. “I’m jealous because you are with Liam now, and because I was too dumb to admit that I want you. I want to be the one you kiss goodnight. I want to be the one who takes you out to dinner. Me. Not him. I want to be the one for you.”

He breathes hard as he finished speaking, as if it was exhausting speaking those words which well, it was. Louis looks at him.

It takes a while before he takes a step closer.

“You want to be with me?” he asks, and Nick nods.

“Yes.”

“You want to be my boyfriend?”

Nick nods, so eagerly he worries his head might fall off.

“Yes, yes Louis, I want to be your boyfriend. I wish you were my boyfriend.”

Louis is closer now. He looks up, tilting his head back slightly to meet Nick’s gaze.

“You want to kiss me?” he asks, and Nick nods again.

“God yes,” he breathes out.

Louis smiles. His arms wrap around Nick’s neck, he stands up slightly on his tippy toes. He wets his lips gently, blue eyes piercing into Nick’s entire being.

“I want that too,” he whispers and Nick closes his eyes as finally, finally, they meet half way and their lips press together.

It’s slow and sweet, the way Louis’ kiss. He takes his time, as if he is being careful and doesn’t want to go too fast, or just because he likes taking his time and doesn’t want to rush things.

Nick has never been kissed like this before. Louis keeps kissing him, as if he doesn’t need to come up for breath ever, and Nick gasps as he lets out a little moan. The soft tongue and Louis body against his, his dick is hardening in his jeans and he can’t help it.

Louis let’s out a little whine.

“Nick…” he mumbles, tugging at Nick’s clothes. “Nick can we… please, can we…”

Nick wonders if he shouldn’t, if taking it slow isn’t a thing he should consider now, but Louis is whimpering, his skin is hot, and he is tugging at Nick’s clothes in ways that makes it impossible to resist.

“Are you sure…” Nick whispers, and Louis replies with pulling him towards the bedroom.

They fall onto the bed, Louis quickly undressing both of them. Nick wants to ask if he has done this before, but if Louis would say something about Liam, Nick is pretty sure his boner would die off, and he doesn’t want to risk this. Not when Louis is moaning underneath him, cheeks flushed, and an obvious hard-on in his boxers.

Nick reaches down to touch it, rubbing it gently, which causes Louis to moan even louder.

“Please,” he whispers, and Nick doesn’t waste any time now. He quickly reaches for condom and lube, groaning as Louis takes off their boxers and wrap a hand around Nick’s cock, stroking it.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” Nick whispers, leaning in to kiss Louis again as he lubes up his fingers. “Promise.”

“Why would I want to?” Louis whispers and well, Nick doesn’t have an answer to that.

It doesn’t take him long to open Louis up, he is tight but eager, needy and willing and he spreads his legs with such ease that Nick almost comes right there just from watching him all sprawled out for him. He takes his time anyway though, long fingers slowly going in and out, massaging Louis’ prostate until Louis’ cock is so hard and leaking on his stomach, and Louis’ face twisted in pleasure with flushed cheeks.

“Nick please,” Louis gasps, and Nick can’t wait anymore.

He rolls a condom on, barely able to make sure it’s properly on before Louis pulls him closer. Nick gets between his legs, cock lining up with his entrance and as he pushes the head through the first ring of muscles, Louis lets out an even louder moan.

Nick wonders it might be too much, but Louis eagerly grinds down against him, rolling his hips to get him deeper inside and Nick can start moving.

He pins Louis to the bed, kissing him passionately with each thrust of his hips, feeling as if he is deeper inside Louis with each push, and the tight heat is better than anything he could have imagined.

“So good,” Louis whispers, biting down on Nick’s neck. It will leave a mark, it will be noticeable, and Nick really couldn’t care less.

“You’re so good,” he praises. “So good, Louis. Feels so, so good.”

Louis cries out in pleasure from that, as if praise was all he needed and he clenches around Nick so hard, Nick sees stars.

It doesn’t take him long to come. He wishes it could last longer, but the pleasure is too much. A well aimed thrust to Louis’ prostate, causes him to come hard, squirting all over their chests and as he clenches again, body shaking in pleasure, Nick can’t hold it in.

He pushes in deep, standing still as he comes, filling up the condom and draining himself of all energy he had in his body.

Louis gasps out, trying to catch his breath and as Nick pulls out, tossing the condom in the bin and collapsing next to him, Louis looks so fucked out and gorgeous that Nick almost hardens again.

“Beautiful,” he whispers instead, moving his hand over Louis’ chest. Louis smiles, leaning in to kiss him sweetly.

They let the kiss linger, and Nick isn’t sure how long it lasts. Only that his heart is beating faster, and everything feels perfect.

“It’s better when I’m naked right?” Louis mumbles, body pressed against Nick as they sleepily tangle their limbs together. “I don’t understand why you want me to wear clothes.”

Nick lets out a laugh.

To be honest he doesn’t either.

“Are we boyfriends now?” Louis asks, looking up at Nick in the dark. Nick press a soft kiss to his lips.

“Yes,” he murmurs, heart beating fast. “Yes, we are.”

“Because we had sex?” Louis asks, and Nick lets out a chuckle.

“No, not because we had sex.”

“Then why?” Louis wants to know, as if he doesn’t feel sure. Nick smiles. He laces their fingers together.

“Because I am in love with you, Louis,” he says, and it feels so easy to say it. He can’t see it in the darkness, but he can feel Louis smile.

“I’m in love with you too.”

“You better be,” Nick mumbles with a soft smile.

He is still holding Louis when they fall asleep.

 

\--

 

When Nick tells Harry, it’s been one week, and Harry sends angry texts about it until he demands they come for tea right away. Nick doesn’t want to argue.

“You won’t mind going to Harry’s right?” he asks, and Louis shakes his head.

“No, does he have tea? The right kind?”

Nick nods.

“I’m sure of it.”

“Are we bringing Pig?” Louis asks with a little smile, and Nick nods.

“Pig needs a walk,” Nick says with a smile. He opens the door for Louis, handing him his jacket. “Come on, angel.”

“I’m not an angel anymore,” Louis frowns, and looks away. Nick takes his hand. The other hand he makes sure Pig’s leash is wrapped securely around as she runs before them, trying to get ahead.

“You are to me.”

“Sap,” Louis teases him and Nick doesn’t bother making a comment about it.

He can handle being a sap. Worse things have happened.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> babygotstyles @ tumblr and twitter come talk to me about tshaw


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